Ramayana_VOLUME V with index

Mandodari
Mandodari pleads with Ravana to prostrate before Rama
and seek pardon:
He saw Mandodari, the Queen, in the apartment. Her eyes
discovered that Ravana had become forlorn. She decided to
administer wise counsel to him. She held his hands in hers and in
a soft, smooth and sweet voice, she said, “Lord! Please listen to
me, give up your anger; pay heed to my words. Think them over
carefully. Those whom we can win over by reverence and
devotion, we should not plan to win by hatred and opposition. In
such circumstances, we have to resort to intelligent reasoning. It
will not bring any good if we oppose such sacred persons. You
cannot achieve victory if you encounter Rama. The glow-worm
cannot vanquish the Sun. Listen to me. Take Sita, at least this
moment, and while returning her safely, prostrate before him and
pray for pardon. Do not ruin your life and destroy Lanka and
sacrifice the lives of its women and children. Persisting in your
resolve to fight is not in line with the devotion and dedication to
God that you are famous for. If you hold fast to this horrid
decision, even Siva, whom you have pleased hitherto, is sure to
give you up. Good deeds alone can win the grace of God. How
can God reward and appreciate such heinous acts”
Mandodari spoke in this strain for a long time trying to mend his
ways and to save him from destruction. “Lord! You are as dear
to me as my own life. Pay heed. Rama is no ordinary human
prince. He is the very person who destroyed Madhu and
Kaitabha come again. He killed Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu.
He is the Lord who trampled on the head of Emperor Bali. He
demolished the pride of the thousand-armed Karthaviryarjuna.
Then why boast of the prowess of your mere twenty He is
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